Detachable handle for a hair curler

ABSTRACT

An illustrated view of an exemplary handle and one or more hot curlers. The handle provides for safety while handling a first of the hot curlers is presented. The handle provides a safe and easy device for picking up the first of the hot curler at a time. The handle further provides an easy release of the hot curler once the hot curler has been positioned in a desired position in the hair. The handle allows for each of the hot curlers to stay hot for a longer period of time. The handle provides a cost effective and safe mechanism for hair styling and curling of hair. The handle provides a satin finish to curls that last and is easy to use. The handle frees up hands to perform or do other tasks.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hair curlers for hair care. More particularly, it relates a detachable handle for the hair curler.

BACKGROUND

A hair iron or hair tong is a tool used to change the structure of the hair using heat. There are three general kinds: curling irons, used to make the hair curly; straightening irons, commonly called straighteners or flat irons, used to straighten the hair; and crimping irons, used to create crimps of the desired size in the hair.

Most models have electric heating; cordless curling irons or flat irons typically use butane, and some flat irons use batteries that can last up to 30 minutes for straightening.

Curling irons, also known as curling tongs, create waves or curls in hair using a variety of different methods. There are many different types of modern curling irons, which can vary by diameter, material, and shape of barrel and the type of handle. The barrel's diameter can be anywhere from 0.5 in (1.3 cm) to 2 in (5.1 cm). Smaller barrels typically create spiral curls or ringlets, and larger barrels are used to give shape and volume to a hairstyle.

Curling irons are typically made of ceramic, metal, Teflon, titanium, or tourmaline. The barrel's shape can either be a cone, reverse cone, or cylinder, and the iron can have brush attachments or double and triple barrels.

The curling iron can also have either a clipless, Marcel, or spring-loaded handle. Spring-loaded handles are the most popular and use a spring to work the barrel's clamp. When using a Marcel handle, one applies pressure to the clamp. Clipless wands do not have a clamp, but rather the user simply wraps hair around a rod. Most clipless curling irons come with a Kevlar glove to avoid burns.

A hair roller or hair curler is a small tube that is rolled into a person's hair in order to curl it, or to straighten curly hair, making a new hairstyle. The diameter of a roller varies from approximately 0.8 inches (20 mm) to 1.5 inches (38 mm). The hair is heated, and the curlers strain and break the hydrogen bonds of each hair's cortex, which causes the hair to curl. The hydrogen bonds reform after the hair is moistened. A hot roller or hot curler is designed to be heated in an electric chamber before one rolls it into the hair. Alternatively, a hair dryer heats the hair after the rolls are in place.

Two of the most popular tools used by many people to style their hair are a curling iron and hot curlers. Each does an admirable job of styling and curling hair. While the curling iron is hot and works fast, it only allows for one curl at a time. The hot roller allows for many curls at one time, but can be difficult to handle and forces the user to touch the often-hot surface. Also, even while hot, the hot roller is not as hot as the curling iron, cools too quickly and often results in disappointing curls.

Accordingly, and in light of the foregoing, there is a need for a means by which the function of hot curlers and a curling iron can be combined to overcome the deficiencies as noted above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an illustrated view of an exemplary handle and exemplary curler.

FIG. 1B is an illustrated view of a coupling of the exemplary handle shown in FIG. 1A into the exemplary curler shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is an illustrated use of a decoupling of the exemplary handle shown in FIG. 1A from the exemplary curler shown in FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list.

“Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,” “by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,” “in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,” “of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,” “preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,” “substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,” “to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise.

Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C, an illustrated view of an exemplary handle 100 and one or more hot curlers 200, 220, 240. The handle 100 provides for safety while handling a first of the hot curlers 200 is presented. The handle 100 provides a safe and easy device for picking up the first of the hot curler 200 at a time. The handle 100 further provides an easy release of the hot curler 200 once the hot curler 200 has been positioned in a desired position in the hair. The handle 100 allows for each of the hot curlers 200, 220, 240 to stay hot for a longer period of time. The handle 100 provides a cost effective and safe mechanism for hair styling and curling of hair. The handle 100 provides a satin finish to curls that last and is easy to use. The handle 100 frees up hands to perform or do other tasks.

The handle 100 is preferably made of a lightweight material, however other materials are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, composites, metals, plastics, etc. Composite materials include, but are not limited to, Carbon Fiber reinforced plastic, glass fiber reinforced plastic, etc. Metals include, but are not limited to, aluminum, high strength steel, magnesium, titanium, etc. Plastics include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate, polypropylene, etc.

Each of the curlers 200, 220, 240 has short external bristles 210. The external bristles 210 more easily pick up the hair when rolling and protect a scalp when coming in contact with any of the curlers 200, 220, 240 thus preventing the heat from direct contact with the scalp. Each of the curler 200 has a hole 212. The hole 212 has an heating element 214. The heating element 214 is a metal material that gets hot from preferably a high metal mass to allow for longer maintenance and retention of heat in the curler 200, 220, 240.

A heating unit 300 having a container 302 and a power source 509. The container 302 is preferably for housing the of curlers 200, 220, 240. The container of curlers 301 are placed into a heating unit 300 prior to using the curlers 200, 220, 240 and heated to a high temperature. The heating unit 300 is coupled to a power source 509 by a power cable 510. The bin of curlers 301 preferably contain fifteen (15) curlers 200, 220, 240 in number, however it is hereby contemplated that other number of curlers are hereby contemplated, including but not limited to, ten (10), seventeen (17), etc.

Optionally and/or additionally, a lid 302 for the heating unit 300 is detachable. The lid 302 is useful for keeping heat from escaping while the heating unit 300 is heating. When the heating unit 300 is coupled to a power source 509 and turned on, the metal heating elements 214 get hot. When the curlers 200, 220, 240 are placed over each one the heat from the heating element 214 is transferred to the curlers 200, 220, 240 thereby causing the curlers 200, 220, 240 to become hot.

The power cable 510 is preferably an ac/dc power cord, however it is contemplated that other types of cables may be utilized. The power source 509 is preferably an electrical outlet, however other types of power sources are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, solar cells, battery, etc. Once the container of curlers 301 has reached a desired and predetermined temperature level, the power source 509 is disconnected and the first of the curlers 20FIGO is accessed by the handle 100 for use of the curlers 200, 220, 240. The handle 100 has a holding area 101, an extender 102, an actuator system 103 and a plurality of couplers 104, 105. The holding area 101 provides a safe mechanism to hold the handle 100 when the handle 100 is being utilized. The extender 102 provides a spacing between the holding area 100 and the couplers 104, 105. The extender 102 further houses the actuator system 103.

The actuator system 103 has a spring 106 and two (2) buttons 107, 108. The buttons 107, 108, when pressed are coupled to the spring 106, and compress the spring 106. The compression of the spring 106 reduces the distance between the couplers 104, 105, thus narrowing the width of the couplers 104, 105. When the buttons 107, 108 are released the spring 106 decompresses and the couplers 104, 105 return to their original positions thus creating a larger footprint and thus holding the curler 200, 220, 240 in a stable position.

When the curler 200 is placed in the desired location in the hair, the buttons 107, 108 are pressed to release the curler 200 at the desired location. As shown in FIG. 1B, the handle 100 is then used to obtain a second curler 220 from the heating unit 300 and placed in the hair utilizing the same actions as described for the curler holder portion 200 and handle 100.

When the buttons 107, 108 are pressed, the compression of the spring 106 occurs. The buttons 107, 108 are preferably quick release buttons, where the buttons allow for the quick coupling of any of the curlers 200, 220, 240 and quick release when one of the curlers 200, 220, 240 is placed and the hair is rolled around the curlers 200, 220, 240 in the desired location in the hair. The couplers 104, 105 are narrowed in distance and footprint and are narrowed such that the couplers 104, 105 can be inserted into the hole 212 of the curler 200, 220, 240. Once the couplers 104, 105 have been inserted into the curler 200, 220, 240, the buttons are released and the couplers 104, 105 widen, causing a secure and removable coupling of the handle 100 and the curler 200, 220, 240 as shown in FIG. 1B.

In FIG. 1C, once the first of the curlers 200, 220, 240 has been placed into a desired location in a person's hair and the clip 400 is coupled to the first of the curler 200, then the buttons 107, 108 are pressed to compress the spring 106. The handle 100 is then pulled out of hole 212 of the first of the curlers 200 and allows the first of the curlers 200 to remain in place allowing for the desired results for curling of the hair. A clip 400 is placed into the first of the curlers 200 to couple the first of the curlers 200, after rolling it into the hair, to the hair to secure the first of the curlers 200 in the desired location in the hair. As shown in FIG. 1B, the user, if desired, accesses a second of the curlers 220 from container of curlers 301 to be placed into the hair of the user at a second desired location.

In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to which they refer or other features described above.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features of other embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A handle and a curler for providing safety while handling the curler, the handle and the curler comprising: a container of curlers, the container of curlers comprising: a container; a plurality of curlers, each of the curlers having a plurality of bristles, a heating element and a hole; and a power source, the power source coupled to the container, wherein the power source being for providing power to heat the curlers contained in the container; the handle comprising: a holding area, the holding area for providing a safe mechanism to hold the handle; an extender, the extender having an actuator system, the actuator system comprising: two (2) buttons; a spring, the spring being coupled to the two (2) buttons, wherein when the buttons being pressed, the spring being compressed; and a plurality of couplers, wherein when the spring being compressed the couplers decreasing in distance from each other, and wherein when the spring is decompressed the couplers are extended; wherein each of the curlers having a core and a plurality of bristles, wherein an interior of the core having a high metal mass, and wherein each of the curlers, one at a time, are coupled between the to the couplers.
 2. The handle and the curler of claim 1, wherein the handle being made of a light weight material.
 3. The handle and the curler of claim 2, wherein the light weight material being a composite.
 4. The handle and the curler of claim 3, wherein the composite being carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
 5. The handle and the curler of claim 2, wherein the light weight material being a metal.
 6. The handle and the curler of claim 5, wherein the metal being aluminum.
 7. The handle and the curler of claim 2, wherein the light weight material being a plastic.
 8. The handle and the curler of claim 8, wherein the plastic being polypropylene.
 9. The handle and the curler of claim 1, wherein the privacy screen being extendable.
 10. The handle and the curler of claim 1, wherein the power cord being an AC/DC cable.
 11. The handle and the curler of claim 1, wherein the power source being an AC electrical outlet.
 12. The handle and curler of claim 1, wherein the bin of curlers having fifteen curlers. 